Moistening-pad.



No. 654,480. Patented July 24, I900. E. C. MGVUY.

MOISTENING PAD.

(Application filed Max.- 19, 1900.)

(No Model.)

' 2 Sheets-Sheet L $44404? M l fii w m 0 N 4 2 I u ld e t n e t a BI MOISTENING RAD.

(Application filed Mar. 19, 1900.)

2 Shaets8heet 2,

(No Model.)

M 6 4' Z g m: uonms PETERS co. pummumoqlusmucrou w c EDMUND C. MCVOY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MOlSTENlNG-PADQ $PECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,480, dated July 24, 1900.

Application filed March 19, 1900. Serial No. 9,265. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND O. MoVoY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Moistening-Pads, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a moistening device of a simple and inexpensive character comprising but few parts which can be readily put together and taken apart and which provides a uniformly-moist surface for a long time without requiring refilling of the water-reservoir,provision being also made for readily filling or emptying said reservoir without disturbing the moist pad. The device, moreover, is one which can be readily cleaned and in which no corners or crevices are presented for the accumulation of dust and dirt,while those portions of the pad which are not exposed are properly aerated and prevented from becoming foul or moldy.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section of a moistening device constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of one of the moistening-pads detached from the holder and flattened out, so as to illustrate its conformation; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device partly broken away and with the pad removed.

, My improved moistening device consists of a vessel 1-, preferably of sheet metal and of circular cross-section, this vessel having at the top an inturned lip or flange 2 and having some distance below the top a transverse dome or bridgeplate 3, which serves as a bed or support for the'moistening-pad and which is by preference susceptible of a certain amount of freedom of movement due to its elasticity.

The absorbent element of the device consists in the present instance of two circular pads 4, of felt or other absorbent material, lying one above the other upon the bridgeplate 3, the outer edges of the circular pads of felt being confined between said bridgeplate and the lower edge of the inturned lip or flange 2 at the top of the vessel 1, sothat there'is no chance of dust or dirt to find its way under said lip and into the water-charm her in thelower portion of the vessel. The water or the pads, or both, may contain suit able antiseptic material, if desired.

Each of the pads 4, of absorbent material, has diametrically-opposite tongues or projections 5, which are bent downward through openings 9 in the bridge-plate 3, so as to enter the water contained in the lower portion of the vessel 1, the openings in the plate for the reception of these tongues being preferably disposed in the four quarters of a circle, so that the tongue will dip into the water in the vessel 1 at equidistant points.

At oueside of the vessel 1 is an upwardly-v projecting tube or neck 6, threaded at the upper end and provided with a screw-cap 7, this neck providing a ready means of filling the vessel 1 without disturbing either of the absorbent pads. The latter can, however, readily be removed when the necessity arises by simply withdrawing their edges from beneath the lip 2 and withdrawing the tongues 5 ver tically through the openings in the plate 3.

Each pad 4. possesses such bulk that, while it will by capillary attraction be saturated to such a degree as always to be properly moist, oversaturation is avoided, as well as rapid drying out of the pad, which results when the moistening-face of the device is a thin sheet of textile fabric, such as muslin or linen. By the use of two pads A provision is afforded for readily changing the pads when the surface of one of them becomes worn or otherwise unserviceable.

The device as a whole comprises a minimum of parts, each of simple construction. Hence the moistener can be made at low cost and the likelihood of its getting out of order is very remote.

The space bounded by the edge portions of the pads, the lip 2, the wall of the vessel, and the bridge-plate 3 constitutes an air-chamber 10, and when in the use of the moistener the pad is alternately subjected to and released from pressure a flow of air from and into this air-chamber results, the air passing through those portions of the pads which are contained in the air-chamber, and which in the absence of this aeration would be likely to become foul inga transverse bridge-plate, and an inturned lip or flange, With the moistening-pad consisting of a bulky mass of felt or like material, resting upon said bridge-plate and having its edges confined between the same and the lip or flange of the vessel, said pad also having depending tongues which pass through openings in the bridgeplate and into the water-chamber below, substantiallyas specified.

2. The combination of the water vessel hav ing a transverse bridge -plate, an inturned top lip or flange with amoiste'ning-pad consisting of two bulky masses of felt or like material disposed one above the other, and resting upon the bridge-plate and having their edges confined between the same and the inturned lip or flange, each of said absorbent pads having a depending tongue passing through an opening in the bridge-plate, and extending into the Water-chamber below the same, substantially as specified.

3. A moistener consisting of a Water vessel having a transverse bridge-plate and inturned top lip or flange, a projecting neck at one side having acloslng-cap at the upper end, and a moistening-pad consisting of a bulky mass of felt or like material resting upon the bridgeplate, and having its edges confined. between the same and the inturned lip or flange, said pad having tongues depending through openings in the bridge-plate and into the Waterchamber below the same, substantially as specified.

4. A moistener consisting of a water vessel, With transverse bridge-plate and inturned and depending top lid or flange forming an air-chamber around the top of the vessel, with the moistening-pad consisting of a bulky mass of felt or like material, resting upon the bridge-plate, having its edges confined between said plate and the inturned and depending flange, and tongues depending through openings in the bridge-plate into the water-chamber below the same, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDMUND O. MOVOY.

Witnesses:

WILL. A. BARR, Jos. H. KLEIN. 

